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The 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division (german: 31. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division)
[Official designation in German language as to „Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv“ in ]Freiburg im Breisgau
Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population o ...
, stores of the Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
and Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
. was a unit of the German armed forces during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. It was formed from the Hungarian ''
Volksdeutsche
In Nazi German terminology, ''Volksdeutsche'' () were "people whose language and culture had German origins but who did not hold German citizenship". The term is the nominalised plural of '' volksdeutsch'', with ''Volksdeutsche'' denoting a sin ...
'' (ethnic Germans), mostly from the
Bačka
Bačka ( sr-cyrl, Бачка, ) or Bácska () is a geographical and historical area within the Pannonian Plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east. It is divided between Serbia and Hungary ...
in September 1944. By November 1944 it was in action on the
Hungarian Front.
In January 1945 it was sent to
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and reformed as a type 45 Division, with only two battalions in each regiment and only three platoons in each company.
[German Order of Battle, Volume 3 By Samuel W. Jr Mitcham p.188] The division then joined the 17th Army in
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
where it was surrounded by the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
; it surrendered near
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové (; german: Königgrätz) is a city of the Czech Republic. It has about 91,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Hradec Králové Region. The historic centre of Hradec Králové is well preserved and is protected by law as an ...
in May 1945.
Commander
*
Gustav Lombard
Gustav Lombard (10 April 1895 – 18 September 1992) was a high-ranking member in the SS during World War II. During the war, Lombard commanded 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer and the 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division. He was a recipie ...
(1 October 1944 – April 1945)
*
Wilhelm Trabandt (April 1945 – May 8, 1945) (?)
Order of battle
*SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 78
*SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 79
*SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 80 (this unit was destroyed and reformed using the Brizen SS Police Regiment in 1945)
*''SS Artillerie Regiment 31''
*''SS Füsilier Battalion 31'' (this unit was destroyed in Hungary and replaced using the 'Szálasi' Hungarian SS Grenadier Battalion in March 1945)
*SS Signals Battalion 31
*''SS Nachschub'' Troop 31
*''SS
Panzerjäger
''Panzerjäger'' (German language, German "armour-hunters" or "tank-hunters", abbreviated to ''Pz.Jg.'' in German) was a branch of service of the Nazi Germany, German Wehrmacht during the World War II, Second World War. It was an Anti-tank war ...
Battalion 31''
*''SS Pionier Battalion 31''
*''SS Krankentransport Kompanie 31''
*SS Vetinerary Company 31
See also
*
List of German divisions in World War II
This article lists divisions of the Wehrmacht (German Armed Forces) and Waffen-SS active during World War II, including divisions of the Heer (army), Luftwaffe (air force), and the Kriegsmarine (navy).
Upgrades and reorganizations are shown only ...
*
List of Waffen-SS divisions
This is a list of divisions in the Waffen-SS. All Waffen-SS divisions were ordered in a single series of numbers as formed, regardless of type. Those with ethnic groups listed were at least nominally recruited from those groups. Many of the hig ...
*
List of SS personnel
Between 1925 and 1945, the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) grew from eight members to over a quarter of a million ''Waffen-SS'' and over a million ''Allgemeine-SS'' members. Other members included the ''SS-Totenkopfverbände'' (SS-TV), which ran t ...
References
Footnotes
Bibliography
{{DEFAULTSORT:31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division
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Military units and formations established in 1944
Infantry divisions of the Waffen-SS
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945